Twisting machine



.Jul 5, 1927." 1, 35,009

' s. A.. REED TWISTING MACHINE I Filed'Jun' 9. 1925 Sheets-Sheetl ATTORNEY 1 635 009 July 5 s. A. REED I 9 TWISTING MACQINE Filed June 9. 1925 '3 Swaps-"Sheet 2 l7 /7 a m if 4%?51 324 ZZWWKBY j ATTORNEY I l v July 5, 1921. A; REED 535,009

Twxswm momma Fil-ed June 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 3 moimEY Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVANUS ALBERT REED, or new YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE R ED PRorELLEa -oo.,' INC, on NEW Yomg'n. ,Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

TWISTING I MACHINE.

Application fiie anme 9, 1925, Serial No.

My invention relates to machines for twisting a metal. object, and more particularly a plate of annealed metal, such as aluminum base alloys, for example duralumin, and is especially applicable inthe manufacture of aeronautical propellers made from an elongated plate of metal.

In the operation of twisting machines, there is a'reactive' stress against the machine, which is usually taken up by amassive base or by attachment to .the'building or to foun dations or to the .ground, each involving a considerable amount of bulk, weight and expense. Ihave discovered that by transmitting thetorque of onepoint of attachment of the object being twisted to the other point of its attachment, as by means of a tube, such bulk, weight, and expense may be substantially reduced, and I have invented a machine embodying this principle which is an improvement on previous machines designed for this purpose. r I have illustrated a type of my invention in the accompanying drawings, where- I *ig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation, in perspective, of the machine and the plate or object being twisted ;v

Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3. an end view,

and Fig.4 a CI'OSS'SGClQlOIliLl'. view of a ma-' chine made in accordance with my inven-.

in horizontal position to a bench 15. The

telescoping tube section 14, is also open at both ends and its outer end is provided with a fixed annular bearing 30.

2 is an elongated metal plate undergoing twisting and passes through tube 1 and the tube section 14 and is firmly embraced by the clamps 3 and 4. If the tube 14, is rotated by mechanical means reacting against the tube 1, the plate 2 will be twisted and no massive or bulky part will be required in the machine. The pair of clamps 3 grip one part of the plateto be twisted and the pair of clamps 4 grip another part of said the whichcarries a, worm 22 at each end, is op- 14, reacts against the tube 1.

27 indicates guide-bars 35,947, and in France October 15; 1924.

19, to which are attached pinions 20, which engage the geared rim of thedisc wheel 16. Each shaft 19, has a large gear-wheel 21,

fixed thereto and a pinion 21 which meshes therew th is secured on the shaft 22, of

theworm-wheel 22, which is'driven by a worni 23, actuated by shaft 24, to which worm is fixed. The worm' -shaft 24,

erated by the gear wheel 25, driven through a train of gears 25 and 25", by an electric-motor. 26, which is mountedon the shelf 26, attached to the tube 1 All bearings of all shafts and gears, except the disc-wheel 16, are attached to the tube 1. Therefore, the reactive stresses of i all of the mechanismtransmitting the motive power of the disk-wheel 16, to the tube A single worm-shaft 24, drives'the' duplicate sets of gears 21 and therefore pinions 20, which pinions exercise always a balanced rotative eifort on the disk-wheel 16 and the tube 1.

The relation of the elementsin the gear trains may be so adjusted as to produce a very slow twist againsta very great rigidity resistance by a high speed low power motor. diametrically fixed to the inner walls of the tube 1, and parallel with its axis, and the clamps 4, are movable longitudinally to difierent places in the tube 1. In this manner a plate may befirmly held by one pair of clamps 3, and a progressive twist of varying ratio be given by successively advancing the pair of clamps 4, to grip the plate at successive points.

I wish to be understo d as not limiting my invention to the particular constructions of the various different parts thereof as herein shown, as it is manifest that various modifications may be made in the same without however departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, holding. means for engaging the work at spaced points, and tubular connections between said holding means constructed and arranged so that torque stress is transmitted from one to the other of said holding means and thence to the work.

2. .ln :1 machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, two clamps adapted to engage the object to be twisted, a torquetransmitting tube surrounding the object and one of said clamps being secured to said tube. the other clamp being adapted for rotar displacement around the axis of said tube.

3. In a machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, a torque-transmitting tube and transverse olijcct-engaging 111e1nbe1x-.:, one secured to one region of the tube and the other rotatable about an axis coincident with that ol the tube and a pair of rotating means having their reaction :tulcrums attached to another region of the tube, a balanced mechanical coupling relation between the rotatable and the lixed members, and balanced means for rotating the rotatable members.

at. A twisting machine for twisting metal plates and other objects constructed in ac cordance with claim 3, wherein one of the transverse object-engaging members is fixed to one region ol the tube and the other is displaceable in relation thereto.

5. A twisting machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, including a tube carrying interior sets of clamps longitudinally separated, part of the set of clamps being lixed and partol the set rotatable about the tube axis by means secured to the tube walls and operating by rotation to twist an object clamped by the said sets of clamps, and means for etiecting said rotation.

(3. A twistii'ig machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, comprising holding means for engaging the work at spaced points, tubular connections between said holding means constructed and arranged so that the torque stress is transmitted ili'ron'i one to the other of said holding means and thence to the work, said holding means being capable, after partial twisting, oli reengaging the work at different successive points to produce a. ])l(),l'(.ts.-l\t twist oi? ranting ratio by successive advanceiuent of the holding means. i t

7. In a machine For twisting metal plates and other objects holding means For engaging the work at spaced apart points. tubular connections between said holding means constructed and arranged so that torque stress is transmitted from one to the other oi said holding means and thence to the work, said holding means being relatively adjustable toward and away from each other to engage the work at successive points.

S. In :1 machine for twisting metal plates and other objects, two clamps adapted to engage the object to be twisted at spaced apart points, a torque transmitting tube sur rounding the object, and one of said clamps being mounted therein and adjustable longitudii'ially thereo't the other clamp being adapted for rotary displacement around. the axis of said tube.

9. In a machine for twisting metal objcets, a torque-transniitting tube having an interior longitudinally adjustable clamping means for holding the work, a floating annular disk gear wheel concentric with said tube and provided with clan'iping means spanning the opening therein for engaging another part of the work positioned .in the axis of said tube, and balanced ll'lllG1'-l'OtLC tire power means between said disk and tube.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

SYLV'ANUS ALBERT REED. 

